Blogs

Since January was the last newsletter, there’s a lot to
catch up on. The antique store was totally gone from the first floor, and we couldn’t
move down from the second floor. A buyer for the building was putting together
a bid, and we started looking for a new location. The purchase went through in
March/April, and we were told we couldn’t stay. We had 8 locations identified,
but didn’t reach an agreement with one until the last part of April. We had to
be out of the building by May 1. I’m sure
you want some of the gritty details, and this story truly points out the
importance of some of the best retail axioms.

Prime retail
position. Retailers, especially in a shopping center, want the best spot
nearest the heavily trafficked area. Universally, this is closest to a grocery
store. Prime retail real estate, in multi-level arrangements, is the first or
main floor. This is where the shopper has direct access from the street or
parking lot. A retail store won’t necessarily fail upstairs, or downstairs, but
sales will be lower than on the main floor. When we moved upstairs in our
second year, sales became flat. They were very good, but not going up. When the
antique store emptied the first floor, it gave the building the appearance of being
abandoned. In spite of signs, turning lights on downstairs and other attempts
to show we were open, sales and the number of customers plummeted through
February into the first half of April. Comments from customers, after we moved,
included surprise we were back in business, and it was so convenient being on
the first floor.

Location,
location, location. In our case, this was an amazing discovery. The old
location was run down outside, adding to the perception the building was
abandoned. A gravel pull-off in front of the store was convenient, but not
attractive. The pull-off, driveway, and parking lot are gravel. Neither I, nor
the landlord, had the finances to do much about it. The building was also set
back from the line of buildings along that side of the road, making it
difficult to spot as you drove along the main street. On top of all that,
trucks and semis would park in front of the store while the drivers got food at
the deli a couple of doors down.

Our new location is across the street, opposite the deli.
I can see my old location from the front window as I sit at the register. We
moved in May, and we’ve had a definite increase in foot traffic. Most say they’re
seeing the bookstore for the first time. Others say they noticed us when they
went to the deli. Customers are coming back because the store looks so much
better than the old place, inside and out. A lot are commenting on our paved
parking lot, even though we have fewer spaces available. The building is newer,
1911 compared to the 1730’s, and it’s well maintained and landscaped. We moved
barely 100 feet, and the visibility is much better along with proximity to the
heavier trafficked businesses.

Establish a
presence. When a retail store opens, it’s important to be in a location for
a number of years. You want customers to find you, and eventually become a regular
part of their shopping. When any store moves, it’s a challenge to get customers
to follow. I’ve heard stories from other booksellers about moving down the
block, or around the corner, from their former locations. Sales dropped before
they began to recover over time. It may not be fatal, but it can be damaging.
In our first year, we were on the first floor and growing. The second year, we
moved upstairs, and we know we lost a number of customers, even though we were
in the same building. We’re starting our third year, and our sales are immediately going up in the new store. I think it is
working for us because we are still too new for anyone to get familiar with our
location. We also didn’t travel very far in each move. There was disruption and
confusion, but the current improvements help a lot.

If you’re still reading through this, here’s the bottom
line. January sales were good, February was bad, March was dismal, and the
first half of April was even worse. I was considering what I had to do to close
the store, and could I arrange a means to continue running Magic: The Gathering
events. Two factors kept me from shutting down.

First, it was obvious why we were failing (you did read
this blog, didn’t you?), and we needed new space to continue. If I didn’t find
a new place by the end of April deadline, I would close the store, rather than
try to reopen at a later time. However, I was determined to find a new place,
because I felt sales couldn’t be worse than they were. The store had to
do better, and if it didn’t, I wanted a one year lease as a precaution. That narrowed
the choices quite a bit, but there were still options. If the sale of the
building fell through, and I was stuck upstairs into the summer, we would
definitely have closed. Fortunately, we signed a deal with our current
landlord, which beat the deadline.

Second, April was looking dim, until Magic: The Gathering
announced a limited run of Modern Masters card set. Because the potential order
was large, I decided to take prepaid orders. Sales soared, some records were
broken, and made the transition to the new location easier. I was going to be
able to operate through the summer, but this release was a bonus. On top of
that, May’s mystery convention Malice Domestic, is always a big sales weekend
for us.

I’m not upset about
the old store. I was given a break there to start my business. The building has
historic charm, and circumstances were what they were. The new owner is a nice
guy, and will try to open an international grocery store. I wish him all the
best. There are still challenges to increase sales, but I’m optimistic about
the new store. So far, we've recovered to projection levels for the year, and foot traffic is better than ever.

I want to close this blog by giving a big thank you to the residents, friends, and customers,
who helped pack books, move fixtures, and sort books in two days! I was at
Malice when the books were packed on Sunday. We moved all the fixtures on
Monday, when the store is normally closed. The store was open Tuesday, and we
had sales even though most of the books weren’t moved until Thursday.
Technically, we never closed, and I owe it to the dedication and loyalty of
you. Thank You.

Thank you for filling out the survey. The results gave me a
clearer picture of growing the bookstore. A lot of the progress lies with
funding through revenue. I may need to sell more to expand more, but now
there’s a focused method. This post will be technical (dry), but I hope it
enlightens you about the process and decisions. So onward, question by
question:

1. What activities would you attend at Novel Places?Choose all that apply

Author
book signing

73.1%

Local
author book signing

46.2%

Book
Group

34.6%

Story
time for young readers

26.9%

Poetry
reading

23.1%

Social
activities – live music, wine tasting, singles night, etc.

57.7%

I was curious to see if there was any difference between
getting a local author compared to an author from out-of-state. It’s possible
people may have missed the difference, but it’s clear author events are a good
attraction. One purpose of the survey is to discover why attendance is so low
at the recent author events.

The other attraction appears to be social activities, and
based on the comments, mostly live music and wine tasting. We had Steven
Gellman here, and he sounded great. We have his CD’s in stock and, like book
sales for authors, CD sales will keep him coming back. There are a number of
local bands and we will try to schedule them, but I’m not sure how well it will
work upstairs. The antique store is open on the first floor, and the set up
prevents an open space for events. There are also local wineries that we’re
contacting, and would probably be combined with an author or music event. I was
secretly hoping there would be interest in a singles night. After working here
6 days a week for over a year, I could use a date!

The interest in book groups is good to see, and there is
interest in a number of categories. I can set times, but if people want to
create a book group, please contact me. I have contact information with several
people about a poetry group and will provide updates in the next newsletter.

We have a story time for toddlers and early readers
almost every Saturday starting at 11am. Sara is our reader, and she includes a
project activity at the end of the reading. The schedule is not consistent,
because she can’t be here every Saturday, but it’s posted on the website. If
anyone is interested in reading when Sara is not here, contact me and maybe we
can work it out.

A mom’s book club during the school day is a great idea,
especially the part about reading young adult books to evaluate what’s
appropriate for their children. I’m opposed to banning/censoring books, but the
young adult genre writes about controversial and sensitive topics. It’s
important to choose carefully. If the person who wrote that comment will
contact me, I’d like to set that up.

2. What are the best times for you to attend events?
Choose all that apply

Tuesday

11.5%

Thursday

15.4%

Friday

34.6%

Weeknights
starting at 6pm

19.2%

Weeknights
starting at 7pm

53.8%

Saturday
morning (10-noon)

38.5%

Saturday
afternoon (2-6)

46.2%

Sunday
morning (11-1)

34.6%

Sunday
afternoon (2-4)

46.2%

The best options I draw from the results is Friday at
7pm, Saturday afternoon, and Sunday afternoon. I should ask if Saturday and
Sunday evenings are acceptable. If I can be sure of the audience, I would stay
after closing to host an event. This decision doesn’t prevent scheduling at
other times. Schedules will depend on author availability and other events. For
now, I’m eliminating Tuesday and Wednesday nights because the Magic TG players
meet then.

3. What media do you use, or prefer, to find out what’s
going on at the bookstore?

E-mail
Newsletter and periodic announcements

92.9%

Facebook

50.0%

Twitter

25.0%

Gazette

14.3%

The
Clipper Magazine

3.6%

Direct
Mail

7.1%

I have to take the results with a grain of salt. The
survey request was primarily driven through the newsletter. I did post it on
Twitter and Facebook, but I admit I don’t use Facebook as much as I probably
should. Most of my Twitter followers are not in this area, so I didn’t expect
much a reply, and a lot of people may have missed the tweets.

I tried The Clipper magazine twice, with hardly any
result, and this is a good indicator to avoid it in the future. I’m considering
the Post Office’s new targeted, Every Door Direct Mail service. The direct mail
service is relatively inexpensive and reliable. I don’t have to blanket half
the county to send fliers through the mail. Since I hate junk mail, this is
only to get community attention, not a regular occurrence.

I have a weekly Gazette ad in the Damascus/Clarksburg
edition, and it is fairly expensive. I’ve considered dropping it, but I do use
it for any upcoming event, or special sale.

One comment suggests a cancellation notice if no one says
they’ll come. I can create invitations and RSVP’s on Facebook and the
newsletter, with links on Twitter. The main problem we’re having is a number of
people saying they’ll come, and then not showing up. I suspect it’s a lack of
ongoing promotion on my part, but schedules are full for most people and change
often. There’s a lot of competition for leisure time, even to get leisure time.
I may try RSVP to see how it works, but there has to be a cutoff time for the author,
and a minimum number of attendees. There’s also the possibility of walk-ins
making a difference.

4. If you don’t hear about our events, what do we need to
do to improve promotion?

Announce
event at least 2 weeks in advance in the newsletter

76.0%

Post
a reminder the week of the event in the newsletter

76.0%

Post
announcements in neighborhood newsletters (HOA’s)

12.0%

Multiple
ads in the Gazette

12.0%

Again, since the survey was driven through the
newsletter, this isn’t much of a surprise. I did fail to list Facebook and
Twitter, as comments noted, but I consider those posts as a given. That’s my
story, and I’m sticking to it.

There was a comment about a sandwich board outside for
story time. Signs are a difficult proposition in the Historic District, but
that’s a possibility. It’s also a funding issue, but we are looking for low
cost alternatives.

Another comment suggested direct mail 15 days before the
event. If we actually have a lot of events, that starts flooding the mail box
(I hope for the day that happens), but also becomes expensive. We’ll look at it
with the direct mail service I mentioned. Whatever gets the best response wins.

5. How often do you shop at Novel Places?

Once
a week

7.4%

Once
a month

33.3%

Once
every 3 months

33.3%

Once
a year

14.8%

Never
– I don’t live/work nearby

11.1%

This question makes me happy. Obviously, I would love it
if most people shop here once a week, but this falls within industry
expectations. I’d like to increase the “once a month” percentage, but we’re
still new and there’s more to work on.

6. What option(s) would encourage you to shop more often
at Novel Places?

Open
earlier

4.8%

Open
later

4.8%

Open
Monday

0.0%

Better
title/subject selection

47.6%

Discounts
or special sale days

66.7%

Community
activities – Clarksburg Day, Kite Festival, etc.

28.6%

I wasn’t sure if I needed to extend hours, or open
Monday. I hope the response is because you all know I’m unstaffed at the moment.
Monday is my day off, and I was thrilled no one wanted me to be open. I’ve
extended Tuesday and Wednesday hours because of the Magic TG players. The store
is open until 9pm, if you want to shop late.

One comment about title and subject selection had to with
browsing titles.As noted, we don’t have
the space to stock many titles, but I do try to get all the titles in a series
when I can. Unfortunately, that may mean not having a particular series you’re
looking for, but special orders usually take one day. In some cases, however, a
series may go out of print. The other part about having a kiosk/computer for
customers to search/browse titles is still a space issue, but also a funding
problem. I hope to offer that as soon as possible, but in the meantime, don’t
hesitate to ask about using the register computer.

I want to have a shelf of recommended books by staff,
customers, bloggers, etc. Even though moving upstairs allowed for more shelf
space, we’re still limited. I will endeavor to find a place. Also, children
books are a major part of the store, and I’m always looking to grow the
selection. I will order Richard Brautigan!

Discounts and special sale days are a little troubling
because I can’t compete with Amazon and Barnes and Noble. I do offer Loyal
Shopper discounts, which is $5 off for every $200 spent. The membership club,
which is still coming, will have a 10% discount along with other benefits. Teachers,
police, fire and rescue (including CERT) get 10% off with their ID. I recently
included active military in the 10% discount.

Currently, the website is 25% off any purchase, with free
shipping over $25. That is going away at the end of August. Not many local
customers were using it, and I’m planning to add used books and other items
that I can’t afford to discount that much. Discounts offered at the store will
be applied to the website. This will make the website the title browser, stock
check, preorder feature for users and customers.

I have a clearance shelf with regularly marked down
books, and will be looking at special sale day options when I go to the trade
show at the end of September.

We participate in Clarksburg Day, Kite Festival, Farmer’s
Market, and any other event in the Clarksburg community. Sometimes it’s an
off-site tent, in-store participation, or fliers and contributions. I’m happy
to help with any event, and would like to set up more community activities at
the store. We did a Halloween show on the porch last year, but it looks like
the coordinator isn’t able to repeat it this year. Keep an eye out for us, and
we will post events in the newsletter and on the website.

7. Where do you purchase the majority of your books?

Novel
Places

24.0%

Chain
store

12.0%

Used
book store

12.0%

Another
local indie

8.0%

Warehouse
Discount Store

4.0%

Online
retailer

40.0%

This makes me super happy. Granted, since Borders closed,
there isn’t a chain store close by. This doesn’t mean you can’t stop off at
B&N, Costco, etc., on the way to shopping or work. But the indication that
I beat them out is very gratifying. Obviously, I’m getting whacked by Amazon,
but there’s no way I can beat their prices. I do offer one day delivery of
books at no charge. You can ask questions about the books you buy. I can try to
find books that you’ll like to read, instead of a computer that guesses based
on strangers buying habits. Let me stop before I get on my soap box on the
“evil” Amazon.

I added used bookstore and local indie, because there is
John at Inklings in Hyattstown. He’s a used bookstore, but we carry different
selections and used books are a random inventory. Between the two of us, we can
probably find a used book for you.

Some commented that they use the library, and that’s
fine. They need support these days, too. We are engaged in shop local programs
that show how much independents contribute to the community through
participation and local taxes for schools, police, fire, etc. This is what gets
me fired up about Amazon, which lobbies in the millions of dollars against
paying sales tax. Sorry. Soap box again.

How you shop is based on price, convenience, and service.
I can’t get all of you to dedicate your shopping here, except to work hard and
provide added value that may persuade you to change your habits. Basically, I
always accepted there will be steep competition when I started the bookstore,
and it’s up to me to make it work or not.

8. Are you aware of the services Novel Places provides?

Yes

No

E-book
downloads

57.1%

42.9%

Gift
registry

36.8%

63.2%

Business
Bulk Purchasing

5.6%

94.4%

Off-site
book events

57.1%

42.9%

Meeting
space

61.1%

38.9%

Gaming
tournaments

57.9%

42.1%

Hard-to-find
Books

85.7%

14.3%

Special
Orders

85.7%

14.3%

School
Supplies

33.3%

66.7%

Fundraisers

40.0%

60.0%

10%
discount to Teachers, Police, Fire & Rescue, and CERT

44.4%

55.6%

I have links on the newsletter about e-book downloads,
but haven’t promoted as much as I could. It is changing at the end of the year
as Google is dropping the independent bookseller contract. There is another
company looking to step in and they have a very strong leadership. The company
will allow downloads to any format, including Kindle (okay, I won’t hate them
as much), and they are planning to use independent bookstores in their
distribution and marketing.

The Gift registry is primarily on the website and I
haven’t promoted that because it wasn’t user-friendly. The webhost created a
Wish List solution, and it can be used if you want to create a registry for
parties, weddings, etc.

Bulk purchasing is about getting bigger discounts the
more quantities of one title you buy for advertising your business. UpCounty
Fine Wine and Beer bought a large quantity of Wine 101, got a 35% discount, and
had their name put on the cover. It was an effective handout when they were
promoting their new website. Bulk purchases are useful for training classes and
seminars.

I haven’t promoted the latest off-site events, since it
was to provide a sales option for non-profit companies that can’t sell
merchandise. I can arrange similar set ups for author events, book groups, and
other activities.

We have tables and chairs for group meetings, game
playing, crafts, and other activities. There is no charge for the space,
tables, and chairs. I don’t have a food permit, but you are allowed to bring
what you want for refreshments.

I don’t have a lot of school supplies, basic items for elementary
school, but will take special orders and will expand as soon as possible,
depending on demand.

I can see from the results what I need to work harder on
to promote. Thank you.

9. Novel Places has been open for 1 year, and we’re working
on the selection of books for you.

New releases & bestsellers, Classic Literature,
General Fiction, Mystery, Science Fiction, Picture Books, Chapter/Elementary
books, Teen/Young Adult, History, Cooking, Health/Self Help, Hobbies &
Games, Humor, and Biography, all are predominantly “keep the same” and
“expand”. Romance was split, with about half wanting to “reduce” and
“eliminate”. It had the highest percentage of eliminate at 18%. Religion,
Gardening, and Sports had about 33% wanting to reduce or eliminate the
sections. Religion surprised me, given the number of churches in the area, and
requests for religious books. Nature/Pets, Science, and Travel had about 20%
wanting to reduce or eliminate those sections. Given the small size of each
section, I don’t plan to change them for now.

Romance is a large section of almost all used books. If
there is demand for new releases, I will keep a selection in stock. I’ve
stopped taking used romances, and will let the inventory sell off.

It looks like I’m going to need a bigger boat. Good
evaluation. Thank you.

10. Novel Places is your community bookstore. Please
share any suggestions to add, change, or keep, any service or merchandise we
provide.

Great idea – Host a children’s book exchange. Kids drop
off gently used books and pick out books from the assortment from others. Bring
in 2 books, pick up 2 books. That last part will ensure there are no left over
books, unless a kid brings in 2 and takes 1. Maybe at story time?

More requests for specific authors. Keep them coming!

Wow. One comment basically wants another Borders-size
bookstore. Someday. If you help by buying all my books! Mainly, this person is
looking for a coffee/food shop where the family can sit down and enjoy
magazines and books. Thank you for acknowledging the space problem, but in our
small way, we do have a Keurig coffee maker with a wide selection of coffee and
tea (hot chocolate in the winter). I do plan to bring in magazines as soon as
possible. It’s mostly a space issue. Talk to me about the selection you were
interested in. We do have two comfy “leather” chairs just outside the store’s
entrance.

More kid activities. I would love to, but until I can
afford staff, I need help putting these things together.Sara volunteers to read at story time, and
I’m indebted to her.

One comment has a long list of merchandise. I already
have some of them, and should be able to bring in the other items, maybe this
holiday season. I could add students to the 10% discount list, and I did have
the summer reading lists this year. It should be better coordinated next year.

“I’m sorry you moved upstairs.” Thank you. I didn’t like
it either, but it has advantages over downstairs. The area is smaller, but rent
is cheaper, and the space allows for more shelving and better event set up. The
air-conditioning is inadequate, but we managed. I’d prefer downstairs, but
there are other plans in the works down the road.

Thanks again for your support and feedback. For those
that aren’t familiar with small bookstore economics, margins (gross profits)
from merchandise is roughly 40%. After I pay bills, taxes, fees, etc., the net
profit is 2 – 3%. That’s usually my salary, or improvements to the store. The
average time it takes to reach a net profit is 3 years. We started out with a
very small budget, and with your contributions, we’re growing remarkably
well.If the growth continues, we may
break even next year.

What this means is, trying new merchandise is risky when
it’s tough to keep up with the bills. The survey helps pinpoint where I should
focus my attention, and budget, to reduce the risk. The biggest task right now
is getting foot traffic into the store, which is what the antique store
downstairs is intended to do. It also means more word of mouth, more successful
author events, more activities, and more support (from others besides you). I’m optimistic,
and will do what I can to make your local bookstore a success. I’d like to see
this building become a gathering place again.

How can a dedicated bookseller claim to hate tradeshows?
They offer great ideas to improve a bookstore, offer sessions on running stores
more effectively, and compare programs with other stores. Publishers and
vendors show off the upcoming books and sidelines to make a store profitable
and beneficial to a community.

So why do I hate trade shows, particularly after writing
about how much I love them? Because I don’t have a physical bookstore. True, I
had an arrangement with a coffee shop in Clarksburg, and it did very well. But
it was “boutique” size, and as I was negotiating a larger partnership with the
coffee shop owner, he went out of business.I couldn’t take over the lease and packed up as well.

I’m a member of bookseller associations that put on trade
shows a couple of times a year, and have attended some of them over the four
years I’ve been in business. The trials and tribulations of finding affordable
space in a sustainable community have been difficult in these economic times. I
hated to go to the shows because I felt like I was explaining why I couldn’t be
in business, rather than getting into discussions about making the business
better. I wanted to talk about what was working, submitting bestseller
nominations, offering staff or customer recommendations, and all the fun stuff
that makes bookselling so exciting and rewarding.

But now, the hated part about going to a trade show is
almost over. I begin moving into a store that I can call my own, or at least
lease. A friend of mine, who started her own business at the same time, had to
close. She owns the building and is trying to sell it, but in the meantime, I
will maintain the property to keep the value up. We’ve worked out a great lease
that helps both of us, and gives me roughly 1,300 square feet to grow. I don’t
have much for a budget, but enough to get open.

There’s a dispute with the state highway over rights to put
up a street sign, but we’re working on it. Otherwise, the store is located in
the Clarksburg Historic District, and the building is the original 1730’s
trading post built at the crossing of two Indian trails. The building expanded
over the years and added a Post Office, where my granduncle was postmaster.
There’s a lot of great history, and the style of the store reminds one of the
general stores of long ago. The style won’t change and there will be a bit of a
challenge to incorporate a bookstore, but it should be an unusual experience.
The center of the store will have movable displays to accommodate book groups,
signings, and other activities. There’s a lot to do, but I expect to open at
the end of April or beginning of May.

I’m always amazed at how much traffic is generated when a
business like Borders declares bankruptcy. Most of the pundits who are flooding
the media with statements and speculation have been talking about the bookstore
giant for years. I suppose the facts of the debt vindicate some of the
speculation, but as a bookseller, I’ve been weighing the economic impact of all
factors in the book industry, including Borders’ condition.

There’s a lot of sideline speculation about the future of
the print book and bookstores. E-books, online purchases, and cultural changes
are important factors, but the big story today is Borders. The question I’ve
been asked is how Borders’ bankruptcy will affect independents as well as
independent publishers. Simply, it’s anything from great to a total disaster.

First, Borders is declaring Chapter 11, which means they
will still exist during and after the process is complete, and they will still
be a major competitor to the independent bookseller. The independents near a
closing Borders will have an opportunity to attract those customers. The Borders
near my store isn’t closing, but I could be hiring an employee or two. Sadly,
the employees losing their jobs will suffer greatly.

The good news for a number of independents is additional
sales, but there is also the relationship with publishers. We now know the
level of debt faced by some of the big publishers. They will probably get
something out of the bankruptcy process, but will have to deal with those
losses as well as lower distribution to a much reduced reseller footprint. I’ve
been in the business for nearly 30 years, and my speculation for independents
is that selection and distribution will not change significantly. I’m willing
to bet that publishers will refocus their efforts to support independents. There’s
a list of independent publishers that were invested in Borders, and the amounts
don’t look good. If they begin to fail, I wonder if the big publishers will
pick them up. There aren’t as many independent publishers as I thought, but it’s
significant.

The basic rule of success in retail is high turnover of
merchandise. That’s the advantage for the independent, because the small store
has to be focused on inventory and what the customer wants. In recessions, we
can use the same space to sell lower priced used and remainder books, and
sidelines, to maintain or increase high turnover and margin. Borders and
B&N are so large, all they can do is reduce inventory. Reduced inventory
means paying for unused space, and Borders tried sidelines that ultimately didn’t
work.

Independents will still close, not because of Borders’
bankruptcy, but from the struggle of online competition and e-books. I’m
optimistic. Publishers succeed by signing successful authors, and would be
foolish to cut back. Booksellers succeed with a good selection of books from
publishers and focusing on customer service. Those that adapt to changing times
will succeed and there are opportunities for success. I believe reading will
increase among all ages with the advent of e-books. Young adults are hooked
into technology and I think having a book in that format will encourage them to
pause their video game and texting (maybe not) to read a few pages. Some are
concerned that authors will lose readers because a Borders store will close.
There will be some loss, but I can’t imagine people will stop reading, they
will find another way to buy their books. As long as people want to meet
authors, and book groups want someplace to meet, there will be brick and mortar
bookstores.

The bookseller conference, Winter Institute 6, is my first for this trade show. I've been to other national and regional shows, but Winter Institute focuses on education and is far more intense. Other conferences generally split time between education sessions and exhibit halls of vendors with preview books. The Winter Institute has a Galley Room of preview books (see my other blog and the home page), but the conference is scheduled with five tracks of three sessions each for the entire day. It's a lot to absorb and you miss a lot of the sessions, but you can't help but be excited about the future of bookselling. Bookselling has never been easy, but it's not impossible. This is a long blog about the sessions, so get comfortable.

Briefly, Tuesday night was a wonderful reception at Politics and Prose. Wednesday breakfast was an interview with Jim Lehrer and Karen Mills of the SBA about small business programs. This was followed by legislative meetings on Capitol Hill and a reception at the Library of Congress.

Thursday began with a breakfast presentation by Bob Phibbs, the Retail Doctor. His motivational speech, and antics, talked about connecting to imagination through entertaining displays and activities. The hard part is employees and getting the right personality for your store. Most of his suggestions are part of a successful store, but he was able to take ideas to a higher level. His book, The Retail Doctor, is available in April.

Thursday's education sessions:

Ideas That Work: Communications, Events, and Displays for Great Children's Departments
Getting Political: Creating the Change You Want to See
The New Reality: Alternative Business Models for Independent Bookstores
Creating Killer Events for Small Business

Saving Time and Money With Edelweiss

Edelweiss is an online interactive set of publisher catalogs that helps booksellers create a more efficient operation. It sorts book information among the publishers and allows the buyer to import the order into the store's Point-of-Sales (POS) system. Edelweiss allows the bookseller to share information with other stores and customers, as well as print a .pdf file for a display. It links with social media and has up to date information from the publisher. The order can be auto-mapped to the store's categories and locates local books and authors. I was concerned Edelweiss replaced sales reps, but it's just the opposite. Reps can leave notes about books and specials, and view the order so it cuts down on meeting time. It's a free service (a big plus) unless you want sales tracking, which is a subscription with Above the Treeline.

Lunch was speed dating with sales reps who pitched their new titles. We sat at preassigned tables and every few minutes, the gong would sound and the reps moved to the next table. It was very noisy, but lots of fun.

What Really Drives Choice In The Children's Book Market?Linked By Passion: Growing Sales Through Local Retail Partnerships
New Business Models Through Strategic Thinking
New Adventures In Book Buying: Working with Reps Near and Far

Adding A Cafe To Your Bookstore

Bookstores looking for an additional source of revenue, typically turn to an in-store cafe, wine bar, or snack stand. While food service does provide a higher margin, there's a lot of planning and issues to consider. Top priorities are allocating space, permits, and health inspections. If you serve or sell wine, you have to follow age restrictions. Food preparation means higher workers comp insurance because of risks. Some of the tips offered were to prepare food in-house to control quality and freshness. It's also easier to do cookbook tie-ins to the menu. Cafe's also attract new customers who stop for a meal, and end up shopping for books. A signature dish, chocolates, sweets, and pastries are additional attractions. Perishable items take time to determine daily quantities to avoid loss. Offers to swap the competition's coffee for the cafe coffee is key to change customers buying habits.

Since I don't have a store yet, the E-Commerce Roundtable made sense. Topics included using Google Analytics and e-mail lists. Some suggested a weekly newsletter, but my customers have asked for a monthly newsletter with occasional special notices. Some of the booksellers who attended the Winter Institute had to close their stores for the conference. Their customers appreciated the special note of why the store closed and how the conference would benefit them. Posting unique merchandise and local books provides an advantage to the big box websites. Community outreach and partnerships with organizations add to the store loyalty and support. Tips included personal e-mail response and notes in the shipment, online gift wrapping service, and a "How to Buy" FAQ.

I did a quick run through the Galley Room before going to the Author Reception, then had to leave early for a dinner with fellow members of NAIBA, a regional organization of independent booksellers.

Friday's education sessions:

IndieCommerce OverviewCost of Goods Sold 101
The Indie City Index
Exploring New Partnerships Between Indie Booksellers and Authors

Efficiency 101: Getting Your Act Together

It's more than organizing or delegating. The first topic is to track time spent on each task, including breaks. Write down processes for organization, sales, planning events, etc. Evaluate these reports to determine what can be improved, delegated, or eliminated. Google calendar and docs can make it easier for employees to keep track of ongoing projects and events. Schedule items based on your energy level during the day. The biggest issue is e-mail and how to stay on top of it. The best answer is to get rid of it quickly. Take old e-mail and put it in an archive file. If you don't access the file, delete it. I'll keep customers order e-mails in a folder for a few months in case there's a question or dispute.

Lunch was part 2 of speed dating with sales reps.

Efficiency 201: Accomplish More by Working LessHow to Sell E-Books
How to Buy Your Way to Success
Making Nonfiction Sexy

Consultation Station

This track is set up with a variety of companies that pertain to operating a store, especially for start-ups. I reserved time with Paz Associates and Anthology, but was able to have walk-up discussions with others. Paz Associates is a consulting firm that offers classes on starting a bookstore and provides services for booksellers. I showed them the space I'm planning to lease, the expenses, and current finances. We're concerned about the finances, but optimistic about the community and the store layout. Anthology is a Point-of-Sale system and I've been in talks with them for the past year. I ran through some of my final questions and gave them my latest set up. I had an opportunity to meet with Franklin Fixtures about book specific fixtures. They are the elite of retail fixtures and my investment depends on financing. I briefly talked with NACS about their list of vendors used by college stores. I met with Basil POS software that offers a much lower cost point-of-sale that is internet based. That would allow me to set up a portable, off-site, register as long as I had internet access. New decision to be made.

Free for the Asking: Marketing With PR & Social MediaHow to Spend Your Way to Success
Buying, Selling & Merchandising Used Books
Consultation Station, continued

How to Sell E-Books (Repeat)

My ebook sales have been very disappointing, even with the addition of Google ebooks. Marketing consists of social media, newsletters, and in-store. I've used these methods, with no benefit so far. This was an open discussion, so suggestions came from the audience as well as the moderators. The best start is in-store, becoming a resource for customers by pointing out the various devices and compatibility. Conversations in the form of store events with experts, educate the customers to ebooks and downloading on the website. Marketing ebooks can use the same techniques as print books, but it's getting the customer accustomed to using the website.

The closing reception featured authors from small press sponsors, including a signing with Ralph Nader. That wrapped up Winter Institute 6 and next year it will be in New Orleans. It was very exhausting, but I come away full of ideas and excitment over what can be accomplished in bookselling. I was especially happy to see so many people like me who are starting their stores, or planning to open soon. I "extended" the conference by visiting One More Page in Arlington, Va. who opened the same day as the conference. We were supposed to be joined by Janet from Avid Bookshop in Georgia, but she had a last minute change in plans. Janet has a website and is trying to open a store, which is my situation. Bethanne Patrick, aka @thebookmaven on Twitter, met us since she lives near One More Page. It was a fun meeting and we shared notes and experiences. Eileen, One More Page's owner, has fascinating un-conventional display fixtures, sells wine and food items, and has a well curated selection of books. It's a wonderful store, and I look forward to following her progress.

The Winter Institute is a bookseller conference that brings publishers and authors together for a few days to talk about new books. This is similar to other national and regional conferences and trade shows, but the Winter Institute is an intense series of educational sessions for booksellers. There are five tracks of three sessions each, or fifteen sessions each day. Since I can only go to three each day, it means I have to get reviews of the other sessions from other booksellers at the breakfasts and luncheons. I should mention that the meals are also filled with presentations and publisher reps talking about their books. The Winter Institute ended Friday and I'm now coherent enough to report on the author reception after Thursday's sessions.

I had to leave early for a dinner with fellow NAIBA members, but met with a number of authors. These books are previews of releases for 2011. Some titles will display as not yet printed, others will be pre-orders, and many will be available as Google e-books. Remember to buy Google e-books through this website to have the order count for me. There were about 60 authors in attendance, so this is a long list.

Dean Bakopoulos, My American Unhappiness: A Novel, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
I read his book before Wi6 and enjoyed it very much. I commented about it on Twitter and he remembered them and thanked me for my early support. It probably helped that I was wearing a button with my Twitter name on it. Dean is a former bookseller and professor at Iowa State University.The link to this title says it's out of print, but it will be released June 7, 2011.

Noah Boyd, Agent X, Morrow
I didn't meet him at the reception, but picked up this book in the Galley Room. The Galley Room is where booksellers can pick up Advanced Reviewer Copies (ARC's) to preview new releases.

Marcia Clark, Guilt By Association, Mulholland Books (Hachette Book Group)
I wanted to meet her, mostly for the celebrity aspect, but I hear it's a good book. I didn't get an ARC and will try to get a copy from Mulholland.

Jennet Conant, A Covert Affair: The Adventures of Julia Child and Paul Child in the OSS, Simon & Schuster

Alison Fitzgerald, In Too Deep: BP and the Drilling Race That Took It Down, Wiley
Even though Alison Fitzgerald is an investigation reporter in D.C., I couldn't imagine her getting involved in a story about the scandal. It sounds sexist, but the media appears, with rare exception, to assign the field investigation to men. It turns out nearly all the investigation took place through the large amount of documentation. Alison Fitzgerald won the Polk award for her coverage of the financial crisis and government rescue of the banking industry. Stanley Reed is a specialist on the Middle East and the oil industry. He's covered BP for more than a decade.

Dan Gutman, The Genius Files: Mission Unstoppable, HarperCollins Children's Books
I picked this up in the Galley Room, but couldn't get to the author's table. It looks like a book my niece will enjoy. I'm thinking there's going to be some controversy over ad placement and encouraging children to eat fast food. This is a story about Coke McDonald and his twin sister, Pepsi. A new series that should be as good as any of his multiple publications.

Deborah Harkness, A Discovery of Witches: A Novel, Viking
Another Galley Room pick. This is book one of the All Souls trilogy. The second book will be out in 2012. A Discovery of Witches is a contemporary novel with history, magic, romance and suspense.

Rachel Moore Hawkins, Demonglass: A Hex Hall Novel, Hyperion Books for Children
You can tell Rachel Hawkins enjoys writing her stories. All authors do, but I'm trying to get a better understanding of young adult novels. I spent time at the reception asking these authors about age range and details of their books. Rachel had a glint in her eye that may explain why some of her former high school students thought she was a witch.

Tayari Jones, Silver Sparrow, Algonquin Books
I really regret missing her at the reception and not getting her book. I recently followed her on Twitter and wanted to talk with her about some of the conversations. She posted a great blog for those who still enjoy the bookstore experience.

Melissa Kantor, The Darlings Are Forever, Hyperion Books For Children
A pre-teen, early teen novel as told to me by Melissa. A story of three high school girls growing up and trying to keep their friendship together. It's a refreshing change from the vampire, witches, zombie stories of late.

Janet Lee and Jim McCann, Return of the Dapper Men, Archaia (Diamond Book Distributors)
Jim looked very dapper, and Janet used a special two-nibbed pen to sign the book. I fell in love with the book after discovering Steampunk in 2010 with Cherie Priest's Clementine. This is a beautifully illustrated book by Janet Lee, and a wonderful story for young chiildren. I mention Cherie Priest because I asked Janet and Jim if they knew any distributors of Steampunk merchandise, and they suggested I talk to Cherie. I also spent an inordinate amount of time talking with the Diamond Book rep. We've been talking for a few years about setting up an account and a grahic novel store display, if I ever open a store. That looks like it will happen very, very soon.

Tom Lichtenheld, Cloudette, Holt Books for Young Readers
A delightful story about a small cloud from an author with a big imagination. Similar to the Little Engine That Could, it's a great motivation story for young readers.

Kee Malesky, All Facts Considered: The Essential Library of Inessential Knowledge, Wiley
So I ask Kee Malesky what knowledge is inessential, and she says it's the different way people think about facts, faith, and interpretation of history. What is essential to one person, is inessential to someone else. If that's hard to follow, I'm sure Kee will explain it in her book.

Jennifer McMahon, Don't Breathe a Word, Harper Paperbacks
I thoroughly enjoyed this book, having received it a few weeks before the conference. I made a point to meet Jennifer and tell her about it. When I first saw the cover, I thought it was young adult, but started to read it in preparation of Wi6. Jennifer agrees about the cover, but it is not young adult, given the opening pages. It's a story about a missing girl, fairies, mysteries, and suspense. The chapters switch back and forth, between the missing girl's life and fifteen later, when her brother and his girlfriend start to find clues to her disappearance.

Joseph O'Connor, Ghost Light: A Novel, Farrar, Straus and Giroux
Another frustrating miss to meet an author. Joseph O'Connor, an Irish author, writing about Edwardian Dublin, which is one of my favorite settings. It's amazing how time flies when there are so many authors at one time. I did get the book from the Galley Room, but wanted to get it autographed.

Bob Phibbs, The Retail Doctor's Guide to Growing Your Business, Wiley
I haven't read his book, but he gave a presentation at one of the Wi6 breakfasts and it was incredible. A lot of common sense that people tend to forget, and some great tips to improve the customer experience at a store. I could blog on this alone. I took a moment to get Bob to sign my book, and told him about a marketing idea of mine, which he loved and wants to hear the results. He was also kind enough to answer a display question I've been mulling over. I'm looking forward to reading his book.

Beth Revis, Across the Universe, Razorbill (Penguin Books for Young Readers)
I picked the book up in the Galley Room, and didn't get to the author, but I regret that now. Some of my friends on Twitter were talking about a preview of this book, and I reviewed it for them. It seemed a bit confusing at the beginning about how old Amy, the primary character was, but the general story didn't seem significantly different from other space travel novels. My review turned off a few of my friends, and I forgot about it until I came across the book at Wi6. I wish now I talked with her to get a better feel for the story, but I will read it. If I'm wrong, I'll do a hard handsell and apologize to Beth. This is her first novel.

Jon and Pam Voelkel, The Jaguar Stones, Book Two: The End of the World Club, Egmont
I had to stop at the table and meet this couple. For one thing, they were dressed in safari clothing. Secondly, they had a pair of authentic pith helmets sitting on top of the books. Jon explained how and why pith helmets were created. These young reader books sound adventurous and fun. I was able to pick up the first book in the series, Middleworld. When they sign their books, Jon stamps it with an Aztec symbol of their names. I might be able to get them from Vermont to D.C. for a signing.

Binyavango Wainaina, One Day I Will Write About This Place, Graywolf Press

November 26, 2010. This is the first time I ventured out on a Black Friday. My brother saw some great deals at Pep Boys and I needed some of the items for my car. 6:30am and we hit the shopping center that has a WalMart, Target, Home Depot, Borders, etc. It was like those scenes of power outage lootings. We worked our way to Pep Boys to find a crowd there also. The free spotlight (a bonus for me) was already gone, as were the free spark plugs. Bummer. But I did get oil, filters, and wiper blades I needed for the car. Free, almost free, and home by 8am.

I've never liked Black Friday, and now Cyber Monday, because it promotes manic consumerism. Items that people would not normally buy are wisked off the shelves by a mob (non-violent) at ridiculous prices. I realize this is a great marketing tool for retailers looking to make their year on the busiest part of the shopping season. The idea is to present loss-leader items at or below costs, with manufacturers offering rebates to compensate. Stores attract customers with these deals in the hope that you'll buy more profitable merchandise as well. I could compare the type of shoppers, but that's another separate topic. What bothers me about this particular weekend is the rebate "scam".

Rebates are offered year-round, but are an integral part of this madness weekend. It's technically not a scam and all rebates are legal offers, but there's a reality to why it profits manufacturers. Instead of discounting the price, a customer has to pay full price and mail-in a rebate to get their money back. Manufacturers quickly discovered roughly 8% of rebates were redeemed. That means 92% of customers paid full price and never realized the bargain, leaving full profit to the manufacturer.

Recently, the redeem rate has gone up. Now, there are complicated conditions on the rebate coupon in order to reject your submission. Take Pep Boys as an example. A good company and reputable in my opinion. I bought 2 sets of oil and filters, as described in their ad. The rebate coupon states, if you read it carefully, you must have an original coupon AND original receipt for each purchase to qualify for the rebate. The customer and cashier need to be aware that multiple receipts have to be printed. This is possible with computer registers that store recipt information, even after the transaction is complete.

We arrived an hour and a half after Pep Boys opened, and the cashier and manager didn't know about the consitions. Imagine how many customers don't know their rebate won't qualify. If they notice, they can go back and have additional receipts printed. I don't blame Pep Boys completely, but they will have to deal with the customer, not the manufacturer. They printed two receipts for me, and the manager had to go to an unused register to print six receipts for my brother.

If you're out there today, be careful of traffic, be patient and realize you won't get all the items you want, and recognize the sale is based on rebates with varying conditions. The sad part of all is that small businesses are left out. This is big chain marketing. Small Business Saturday has been created this year by American Express. Support your local business this weekend, and especially this Saturday. We're the character and support of your community.